Trump trial: Stormy Daniels tells (almost) all about alleged sexual encounter with Trump

Donald Trump watched Stormy Daniels testify on Day 13 of his hush money trial.

Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.


What to know about the hush money case

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


Trump was 'cursing audibly' during Daniels' testimony

Former President Trump was "cursing audibly" at one point during today's direct examination of Stormy Daniels, according to a transcript of a sidebar conversation that was released following court.

"I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that's contemptuous.
It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that," Judge Juan Merchan told Trump's attorney during the sidebar, according to the transcript.

"I will talk to him," said Trump attorney Todd Blanche.

"So, I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don't want to embarrass him," Merchan said. "You need to speak to him. I won't tolerate that."

"I will talk to him," Blanche replied.

Following a subsequent break, reporters heard Judge Merchan ask Blanche whether he had spoken to his client, but at the time it wasn't clear what the judge was referring to.

Daniels' testimony included a graphic description of her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.


Trump, exiting court, calls case 'a disaster for the DA'

Former President Trump, on his way out of court, slammed the proceedings as "a disaster for the DA."

"This was a very big day, a very revealing day," Trump told reporters. "As you see, their case is totally falling apart."

"They have nothing on the books and records and even something that should bear very little relationship to the case," he said.

"It is just a disaster for the DA," said the former president.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike Pappano


Court ends for the day

Judge Merchan has ended the proceedings for the day.

Former President Trump was conferring with his attorney when Stormy Daniels passed by the defense table on her way out of the courtroom, and she and Trump did not appear to acknowledge each other.

Court is off tomorrow, with Daniels' cross-examination scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.



Defense presses Daniels on claim of extortion

Defense attorney Susan Necheles, resuming her cross-examination of Stormy Daniels following a break, raised the defense claim that Donald Trump was the victim of extortion.

"You were looking to extort money from President Trump, right?" Necheles asked.

"False," Daniels replied.

"That's what you did, right?" Necheles insisted.

"False," Daniels responded.

On occasion, Daniels has been hesitant to answer questions during the cross-examination, especially when Necheles quickly presents an exhibit to jurors.

"You want me to comment on something when I don't know the context, and that is not fair," Daniels said at one point.


Tarasoff says 'legal expenses' label came from invoice

Trump Organization accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff walked the jurors through the process for processing the invoices and checks for Michael Cohen in 2017.

The process generally began with an email from controller Jeffrey McConney, who approved the expenses.

"Please pay. Post to same g/l as last month," McConney said in his email from March 2017.

"Please pay," McConney emailed Tarasoff in April.

Jurors then saw the invoice processed on the Trump Organization's general ledger, labeled as "legal expenses."

"Where did that come from?" prosecutor Christopher Conroy asked.

"I put that in. It came from the invoice," Tarasoff said.

For checks from the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, two people -- from among either Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Allen Weisselberg -- signed the check. For the checks from Donald Trump's personal account, Donald Trump had to sign the check himself.

Some of the jurors appeared to be attentive during this testimony, watching Tarasoff explain the exhibits displayed on the screen in front of them. Others sat passively, some with their arms crossed, as the testimony continued.